Updated at 11:18 a.m., Monday, March 26, 2007
Isle-trained 'Morning Light' crew 'ready for Transpac'
Advertiser Staff
The young team of the racing yacht Morning Light, which The Advertiser covered on Jan. 28, is "certainly going to be ready for Transpac," says Mike Sanderson, winning skipper of the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race.The New Zealander rejoined his Volvo navigator, Morning Light instructor Stan Honey, to spend four days tutoring the team on land and sea during its third monthly training session on the Transpac 52, less than a year after Roy E. Disney started from scratch to build his team of young sailors to sail the 44th Transpacific Yacht Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu.
Sailing manager Robbie Haines said "the timing was right" for Sanderson's involvement. The sailors had learned how to sail the boat but not really race it.
"He brought them up to a new level when they were ready to step up," Haines said. "He impressed upon them that if they're going to win they have to work harder than the next guy."
The entire Morning Light project — crew selection, training and the race — will be the subject of a documentary film produced by Roy E. Disney and Leslie DeMeuse of Pacific High Productions in association with Disney Studios. It's scheduled for theater release early next year.
To see the Advertiser's article on Morning Light and video of the crew, go to:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Jan/28/il/FP701280319.html
